Double hung window



Feb. 22, 1966 F. 1.. DUNSMOOR ETAL 3,235,916

DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW Filed May 4, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi :t. Z 54 60 58 I} l T INVENTORS FORREfiT L. DUNSMOOR HERMAN 5. KUYPER Feb. 22, 1966 F. DUNSMOOR ETAL 3,235,916

DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW Filed May 4, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig Feb. 22, 1966 F. DUNSMOOR ETAL ,916

DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW Filed May 4;, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 22, 1966 F. 1.. DUNSMOOR ETAL 3,

DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed May 4, 1964 United States Patent C) 3,235,916 DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW Forrest L. Dunsmoor, Oskaloosa, and Herman S. Kuyper, Pella, Iowa, assignors to Rolscreen Company, Pella, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,426 7 Claims. (Cl. 2052.4)

This invention relates to a double hung window and particularly one of the type wherein the sashes may be pivoted with respect to the side jambs for convenience in cleaning, painting and/or repair purposes.

One object of the invention is to provide means for both slidably and pivotally mounting the sashes relative to the side jambs of the window comprising jamb liners and means to bias them away from the side jambs and into contact with the sashes.

Another object is to provide the jamb liners and the biasing means so constructed and arranged as to provide effective air and water seals between the side edges of the sashes and the side jambs.

Still another object is to provide jamb liners of undulant shape which have a pair of sash beads for contacting each of the sashes, the sashes having grooves receiving the beads and the liners having between each pair of beads an oppositely extending spring head with which the biasing means contacts so as to at all times insure contact of both sash beads with the sash grooves.

A further object is to provide jamb liners of rigid but resilient plastic material and leaf springs for biasing them into contact with the sashes, the springs extending throughout the entire height of the side jambs to effect such biasing throughout the entire vertical extent of the sashes and side jambs, thus providing an effective Weather seal and heat insulating connection between the sashes and side jambs while permitting ready sliding and pivoting of the sashes relative to the side jambs.

Still a further object is to provide jamb liners which can be snapped out for repair or replacement yet held in a correct extended position without risk of bowing or snap-out as the sashes are raised or lowered, the arrangement being such as to accommodate shrinkage and expansion due to temperature and humidity changes.

An additional object is to provide the biasing means for the jamb liners in the form of leaf springs having pairs of wings, one to engage the portion of the jamb liner adjacent each sash, and operable to at all times insure two lines of contact between the jamb liner and each sash, thereby providing a constant weather seal and constant friction to hold the sash at any position to which it is adjusted regardless of the pull on the sash by counter balance means.

Another additional object is to provide means for counterbalancing the sashes comprising spring balances in the head jamb of the window frame from which cords extend to pivotal connections with the sides of the sashes intermediate the tops and bottoms thereof, the cords extending along and between the sash beads of the jamb liners and located back of the spring beads, the cords being protected thereby.

Still another object is to provide a channel-shaped metal head frame which protects the sash balances against injury from nails.

With these and other objects in view, our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of our double hung window, whereby the objects above contemplate-d are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated in detail on the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an outside elevation of a double hung window embodying our invention, a portion thereof being broken 3 ,235,916 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 away and other portions being shown in section to illustrate details;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 22 of FIG. 1 with portions broken out to conserve space on the drawing;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to a portion of FIG. 2 showing the sashes of the window pivoted to horizontal positions for cleaning, painting or repair;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 1 with portions broken out;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing one of the sashes adjusted to horizontal position as in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged sectional view similar to the left side of FIG. 4 showing the position of a jamb liner and a combined Weatherstrip and leaf spring in relation to the side jamb and the sashes when the sashes are free of the jamb liner at the plane of cross section shown;

FIG. 7 is a similar sectional view showing the upper sash in the figure free of the jamb liner and the lower sash in contact therewith;

FIG. 8 is a similar sectional view showing both sashes in contact with the jamb liner;

FIG. 9 is a similar sectional view showing the jamb liner, and a combined Weatherstrip and leaf spring depressed as when the sash is pivoted crosswise of the side jambs;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view on the line 1010 of FIG. 9 to show details of the pivot connection between the sash and the counterbalance cord;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pivot fitting;

FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 are vertical sectional views along the lines 1212, 1313 and 1414, respectively, of FIG. 7 to show certain relationships between the parts of the structure.

On the accompanying drawings we have used the reference numerals 10 to indicate a sill, 12 a head jamb, 14 side jambs, 16 the lower sash and 18 the upper sash of a double hung window. The side jambs 14 are of the cross sectional shape shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, differing from the usual side jamb in having a pair of pockets 20, a pair of inturned flanges 22 adjacent the usual inner and outer blind stop locations and a central groove 24. We provide a jamb liner A which extends throughout the height of the side jamb 10, has out-turned flanges 26 along its side edges to cooperate with the flanges 22 and is formed of stiff but resilient plastic material such as high-impact, rigid polyvinyl chloride. The jamb liner A has two lines of contact with each sash 16 and 18 comprising four sash beads 28, 30, 3 2 and 34 (see FIG. 6). Between the sash beads 28 and 30 and between the sash beads 32 and 34 are oppositely extending spring beads 36 and 38. The sash beads 30 and 32 are connected together by a web 31.

The lower sash 15 has shallow grooves 40 and 42- receiving the beads 28 and 30 and the upper sash 18 has shallow grooves 44 and 46 receiving the beads 32 and 34 (see FIG. 8). The grooves 40 and 46 are lined with pile strips 48 and 59 of wool or the like to provide additional Weatherstripping along the side jambs.

The jamb liner A is biased away from the side jamb 14 by a combined Weatherstrip and leaf spring B which also extends throughout the height of the side jamb. The leaf spring B has a central fold 52 received in the groove 24 of the side jamb and a pair of wings 54 and 56 contacting the spring beads 36 and 38., respectively.

The initial shape of each wing 54 and 56 is substantially as shown in FIG. 6 when'no sashes are present at the plane of cross section illustrated, at which time the coaction of the out-turned flanges 26 with the inturned flanges 22 limits the position of the jamb liner in its maximum out position with respect to the jamb. When both sashes are present at the plane of cross section illustrated, however, the jamb liners are pushed inwardly as tothe position shown in FIG. 8 thus permitting the bias produced by the leaf springs B to cause tight engagement of all four sash beads 28, 30, 32 and 34 with all four grooves 40, 42, 44 and 46 of 'the sashes. This engagementpr'oduces a weather-tight seal between the jamb liners and the sashes, which seals are improved by the use of the pile strips 48 and 50. At the same time there is a weather seal between the jamb and the jamb liner produced by the leaf spring B itself having its wings '54 and 56 in contactwith the spring beads 36 and 38 in all positions of the jamb liners with respect to the jambs 'as illustrated. I

Being made of rigid polyvinyl chloride, the jamb liners arerelatively stiff yet they are flexible enough so that the wings of the leaf springs can bend them to a position for the two sash beads for'each sash to provide two full lines of contact therewith even though the sashes are not present opposite both pockets 20 of the jambs as shown in FIG. -7 (the sash 16 being below the plane of the cross section illustrated). In FIG. 6 both sashes are below the plane of the cross section illustrated and the jamb liner hasbeen moved out by the leaf spring B until its flanges 26 engage the flanges 22, thus increasing the weather-seal efficiency. T By having 'the oppositely extending spring beads 36 and 38 substantially centered between the pairs of beads 28-30 and 32-34 the double lines of sealing contact above mentioned are constantly and efficiently had.

The construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the jamb liners can be further depressed as in FIG. 9 occasioned-by merely'swinging 'one or both sashes from vertical to horizontal position. Since the grooves 40, 42, 44 and 46 are rather shallow, their side edges readily exert a camming effect on the jamb liners when the sash is grasped at top and bottom and forced to pivot from vertical 'to horizontal position. When they are returned to vertical position this camming action exerts a final snap-in action which automatically and properly aligns the sash with its jamb liner.

We provide counterbalance means in the form of housings 58 shown in the upper left corner of FIG. 1 having the usual clock spring wound drums therein from which cords of nylon or the like 60 extends to pivot fittings '62 at substantially the center from top to bottom of each sash 16 and 18 where they are connected to the sashes by screws 86. These'cords extend over shoes 64 suitably positioned so that the cords extend from the head jamb down to the pivot fittings 62 in the spaces between the beads 28 and 30, and 32 and 34. The cords are thereby somewhat concealed and are protected from mechanical injury, and

by the use of the pivot connection 62 the sashes are held counterbalanced whether in the vertical or horizontal position. The horizontal position, of course, is desirable for washing the outsides of the glass in the sashes from inside-the building and for convenience in making repairs. Also while the sashes are in the horizontal position, they may be canted and the pivot connections 62 disassociated from the grooves formed between the beads 2830 and 32-34 and disconnected from the sashes for renewal of the cords or for other repairs.

'Thelower railof the lower sash 16 is provided with a groove 66 adapted to coact with a flange 68 of the sill 10 (see FIG. 2) for weather-seal purposes as more fully disclosed in our copending application, Serial No. 361,659, filed April 22, 1964. The upper rail of the upper sash 18 as alsoshown in FIG. 2 is adapted to coact with a drip bead'70 of 'a channel 72 -formed of steel or the like incorporated in the window frame and in which the head jamb 12 is mounted; As shown in FIG. 1 the head jamb terminates short of the counterbalance housings 58 which are enclosed in the channel 72 whereby they are protected against accidental nail damage during inside or out ide t mm ng of the Window f ame. This channel 72 also permits small vertical height for the head jamb while still providing structural strength and rigidity.

A head stop 74 is provided for the head jamb 12 and is secured thereto and to the channel 72 as by screws 76. A metallic Weatherstrip 78 is received in a groove of the head stop 74 and also coacts with the upper rail of the upper sash to serve in conjunction with the drip bead 70 as a weather-seal at the head of the window.

The central portion of FIG. 2 shows the upper rail of the lower sash and the lower rail of the upper sash which are provided with moldings 80 and 82 formed of hard wood or the like, the molding 80 being grooved to receive a Weatherstrip 84 at the meeting line of the rails.

Pivoting the sashes When a double hung window is constructed in accordance with our invention, either the upper or the lower sash may be pivoted as follows: the sash is opened approximately six inches and the top and bottom rails are grasped firmly whereupon the sash is rotated in the side jambs. The same motions close the sash from the pivoted position to the normal vertical position for sliding relative to the jamb liners, and the sash beads of the jamb liners automatically snap into the grooves of the sashes. When the sashes are thereafter closed; unauthorized access through the window is just as difficult as non-pivoting windows.

Fornormal window washing, the pivot fittings 62 on the sash stiles hold the sash within the window opening itself. The sash can be moved up and down in the pivoted position or by slightly tilting the sash it can be taken out of the window opening entirely.

The pivots are sturdy enough to withstand continued use even in commercial buildings yet the pivoting action permitseasy and safe pivoting of even the largest sashes. We provide for a simple snapout operati0n-no shifting toward one side to get -the other side out, etc., and no stops are in the way of pivoting.

J amb liner We are aware that heretofore, broadly speaking, side jambs have been provided with jamb liners so that the sashes could be pivoted to horizontal position for cleaning or repair and for removal of the sashes from the window frame. Usually separate liners were provided for the separate sashes as the problem of the jamb liners correctly contacting both sashes existed. We have, however, provided a single jamb liner for both sashes which, when made of stiff but resilient plastic material and of the undulant cross sectional shape shown and described, makes possible proper contact of the liner with respect to both sashes regardless of their position'in the window frame. When the sashes are in the normal closed position, the lower half of the portion of the jamb liner for the upper sash is biased outwardly to the position of FIG. 7 and likewise the upper half of the" portion of the jamb liner for the lower sash. The flexibility of the jamb liner permits of this difference in position of the part of the jamb liner next to a sash as compared to the part where there is no sash while at the same time the leaf spring B at all times and in all positions of adjustment of the jamb liners as shown throughout FIGS. 6, -7, 8 and 9 coacts with the oppositely extending spring beads 36 and 38 to provide a weather-seal at this point between the leaf spring and the jamb liner as well as a weather-seal between the leaf spring and the jamb where the fold 52 fits into the groove 24.

The leaf spring B may be made of, hard-temper aluminuni to provide the necessary biasing force and avoid rusting of the spring as would occur if it were made of steel. By having the springs continuous from head to sill, they maintain constant pressure against the jamb liners. Both lines of contact are constantly maintained under thebias of the leaf spring B by having the leaf spring contact the oppositely extending spring beads 36 and 38 located substantially midway between the two lines of sash contact in each case. The leaf springs B also eliminate the possibility of air infiltration around the back side of the jamb liners. The wings of the spring retract into the pockets 20 of the side jambs 14 whenever pressure is exerted as in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. The disclosed arrangement provides two effective air seals with respect to the jamb liner and an effective air seal between the spring and the side jamb. At the upper and lower ends of the jamb liner resilient foamed rubber or plastic plugs (not shown) may be installed to prevent air infiltration between the jamb liner and the frame.

By providing two lines of contact between the jamb liner and each sash, a channel for the sash pivot fitting and the balance cord is provided which removes the cord from an exposed position where it is less susceptible to damage, and partially conceals the cord for better appearance.

The jamb liner material selection and configuration were determined only after extensive testing. High-impact rigid vinyl is sufliciently flexible to permit intimate contact with the grooves of the sash stiles yet stiff enough to form the two flanges 26 that prevent the jamb liner from being pushed too far out of the jamb by the leaf spring. At the same time, the jamb liner may be removed by simply squeezing it so that the flanges 26 are closer together than the flanges 22 of the side jamb whenever such removal is desirable as for repairs and the like. The only occasion for such rem-oval is to replace a damaged jamb liner or to facilitate removal of sash balances. Jamb liners of this material have been used successfully in outdoor exposure for more than twenty years. By making the liners of undulant shape rather than using any sharp corners we have found that they withstand considerable abuse without shattering whereas shapes with square corners are much less durable, the abrupt transition in shape causing stress-concentrating grooves and sharp corners which crack and shatter. The undulant shape eliminates stress concentration.

The channel 72 provides a rigid head assembly free from twist and the drip head 70 further reinforces the channel and forms an effective drip cap across the upper sash rail. Recessing the sash balances into this compact channel makes it impossible to drive finish nails into the balance mechanism. The head stop 74 conceals the sash balance housings on the room side.

Our jamb liner construction eliminates conventional blind stops and parting beads and provides clearance between sash stiles and jambs. The main purpose of eliminating stops is to permit sash pivoting and at the same time this permits the two sashes to be contained within less horizonal space so that more space is provided in the same thickness wall for storm sashes, screens and the like. Blind stops of conventional windows are a constant source of trouble. In damp weather they swell up making it very diflflcult to raise or lower the sash. In dry weather they may shrink causing the window to rattle every time the wind blows. Stops also create painting problems which are eliminated with the use of plastic liners and unpainted grooves in the stiles of the sashes as disclosed.

The generous amount of clearance between sash and jamb minimizes the effects of sash swelling and helps compensate for an out-of-square installation. It also eliminates paint sticking problems. Continuous spring weatherstrips behind both jamb liners exert just the right amount of pressure to insure a weather-tight window and give just the right amount of friction to hold the sashes at all adjusted positions against the upward pull of the sash balances. The undulant shape of the liners also insures the operator is not exposed to any sharp edges.

Our construction provides a floating jamb design which makes it possible to easily tilt the sash to horizontal position and virtually eliminates the sticking and binding problems so common in most double hung windows.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of our double hung window d without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which many reasonably be included within their scope.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a double hung window construction, means for slidably mounting a pair of sashes relative to a side jamb comprising a jamb liner, and means biasing said jamb liner away from said side jamb and into contact with said sashes, said jamb liner comprising a member of undulant shape extending throughout the height of said side jamb and having four longitudinally extending sash beads, two for contacting one of said sashes and two for contacting the other of said sashes, an oppositely extending spring bead substantially midway between each of said pair of sash beads and a connecting web between the inner two sash beads of said four sash beads, said jamb liner member being formed of stiff but resilient plastic material, each of said sashes having a pair of shallow grooves receiving its respective pair of sash beads, said biasing means comprising a combined Weatherstrip and leaf spring extending throughout the height of said side jamb and having a pair of wings, one to engage each of said spring beads substantially midway between the pair of sash beads thereadjacent, and means for securing the central portion of said leaf spring to said side jamb.

2. A window construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said jamb liner is formed of equal-thickness material throughout and has an out-turned flange along each of its side edges, and said side jamb has iuturned flanges coacting therewith to normally retain said liner against dislocation from said side jamb.

3. A window construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said grooves of each sash is provided with a pile strip along and projecting from the bottom of the groove and engaging that portion of the sash bead for that groove which faces the groove.

4. A window construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein counterbalance means are provided for each of said sashes, and cords extend therefrom along said jamb liners and are connected to said sashes, said cords being located between said pairs of sash beads and in said spring beads.

5. In a double hung window, a frame comprising a sill, side jambs and a head jamb, upper and lower sashes slidable vertically with respect to said side jambs, means for slidably mounting said sashes relative to said side jambs comprising jamb liners, one for each side jamb, and means biasing said liners away from said side jambs and into contact with said sashes, said jamb liners comprising members of undulant shape extending throughout the height of said side jambs and each having a pair of longitudinally extending sash beads to contact each sash, an oppositely extending spring bead substantially midway between each of said pair of sash beads and a connecting web between the inner two beads of each pair of sash beads, said jamb liners being formed of stiff but resilient plastic material, said biasing means comprising leaf springs extending throughout the height of said side jambs, each leaf spring comprising a pair of wings, one engaging each of said spring beads and thereby exerting substantially equal pressure through said sash beads against said sash, and means for securing the center portions of said leaf springs to said side jambs.

6. A double hung window in accordance with claim 5 wherein counterbalance means is provided for each of said sashes, and cords extend therefrom along said jamb liners and are connected to said sashes, said cords being located between said pairs of sash beads and within said spring beads.

7. A double hung window in accordance with claim 5 wherein said jamb liners are formed of equal-thickness material throughout and have out-turned flanges along each of their side edges, and said side jambs have in- 7 8 turned flanges coacting therewith to normally retain said 2,848,760 8/1958 Hettinger et a1. 2052.2 jamb liners against dislocation from said side jambs. 3,122,798 3/1964 Zegerset a1. 20-52.4 3,145,433 8/1964 Jones 2012 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

6 46 7/1923 Lancaster 2052 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner. 2,835,934 5/1958 Franzblau et a1. 2052.2 

5. IN A DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW, A FRAME COMPRISING A SILL, SIDE JAMBS AND A HEAD JAMB, UPPER AND LOWER SASHES SLIDABLE VERTICALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE JAMBS, MEANS FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING SAID SASHES RELATIVE TO SAID SIDE JAMBS COMPRISING JAMB LINERS, ONE FOR EACH SIDE JAMB, AND MEANS BIASING SAID LINERS AWAY FROM SAID SIDE JAMBS AND INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SASHERS, SAID JAMB LINERS COMPRISING MEMBERS OF UNDULANT SHAPE EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE HEIGHT OF SAID SIDE JAMBS AND EACH HAVING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SASH BEADS TO CONTACT EACH SASH, AN OPPOSITELY EXTENDING SPRING BEAD SUBSTANTIASLLY MIDWAY BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PAIR OF SASH BEADS AND A CONNECTING WEB BETWEEN THE INNER TWO BEADS OF EACH PAIR OF SASH, BEADS, SAID JAMB LINERS BEING FORMED OF STIFF BUT RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID BIASING MEANS COMPRISING LEAF SPRINGS EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE HEIGHT OF SAID SIDE JAMBS, EACH LEAF SPRING COMPRISING A PAIR OF WINGS, ONE ENGAGING EACH OF SAID SPRING BEADS AND THEREBY EXERTING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL PRESSURE THROUGH SAID SASH BEADS AGAINST SAID SASH, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE CENTER PORTIONS OF SAID LEAF SPRING TO SAID SIDE JAMBS. 